Sweet Home Mystic Falls
by Haley Elizabeth James
Summary: Caroline Forbes, a young woman with a Southern background runs away from her life in Mystic Falls and reinvents herself as a New York socialite. Until everything changes and she must return home from the life she so quickly ran away from.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own TVD._

 _Caroline Forbes, a young woman_ _with a Southern background runs away from her life in Mystic Falls and reinvents herself as a New York socialite. Until everything changes and she must return home._

 **Sweet Home Mystic Falls**

 **Chapter 1: Caroline Lockwood**

Caroline found herself asleep at her desk, for the third time that week. She shook her head and ran her hands through her long blonde hair. She gathered her papers and stood up joining her coworkers.

"You know that accent of yours is a whole lot thicker when your dreaming" One of the guys pinning an outfit to a mannequin smiled as Caroline joined them.

"Alright, how come y'all let me sleep?" Caroline asked.

"Relax it was like five minutes" another co-worker responded.

"What did I say?" Caroline looked around worriedly.

"That we're all getting big fat raises when you become somebody"

Caroline smiled as she left work drinking her coffee; it had been a long night. She had spent the last few months preparing for her first New York fashion show. Finally she wasn't under some other designer and this show could make or break her career as a fashion designer. It was nerve racking, but she was finally felt ready for the show. After all the long nights in the studio preparing the show was approaching fast. Caroline walked her way through New York to her lovely apartment. As she turned her key and walked inside, as she carefully closed the door she noticed rose pedals covering the floor in her apartment, she wrinkled her face as she continued to walk down the short hallway into her living room. There were many bouquets of different colour roses throughout.

"Klaus" she smiled as she pushed the button on her answering machine.

"Hi Care Bear. Good morning, there is a rose for every moment I thought about you last night. Gosh you must be exhausted, knock 'em dead today. Anyways I see you at the show, it going to be great. I love you, I can't wait to see you. Good bye" He voice rang through her apartment as her smiled grew. How did she get this lucky, a small town girl from Virginia? She was so close to making it in the Big Apple of New York and she still couldn't believe it.

Later that day Caroline stood in a large dressing room behind the stage preparing the models for the show that was about the start. As she walked by her name on the clothing bags, she couldn't help but smile. _Caroline Lockwood_ it read the name she had chosen to go by when she first moved to New York. In Mystic Falls the Lockwood last name had been like royalty, they owned most of the town and everyone knew them. Well in a small town everyone knows everyone. But no one had known her in New York so she went for a fresh start, and changed her name.

"This colour is all wrong, it's all wrong" One of her assistants came running up anxiously to her with a model.

"Don't panic, that's my job." Caroline smiled as she looked intently at the model, the burgundy colour looked off, and she bit her lip lightly as she decided. "Put her on third, under the yellow light. She will look eggplant instead of this blahness" Caroline smiled before walking away, as she turned away she quickly turned back. "Wait! The reason it is all wrong is because it is on backwards!" Caroline yelled.

Caroline grinned as she was running her very own show.

"Caroline Lockwood!" a voice called out from behind her.

"Enzo, what are you doing here?" She asked. Enzo had been the man to give her chance so many years ago, and now here he was, taking in all her accomplishments.

"Please I wouldn't miss my protégé first big show!" He smiled.

"But aren't I the competition?" Caroline asked.

"Please, you know that this is all about me" Enzo laugh. "Look at this, Stella McCartney is going to kill herself for this"

"Why do I feel like I'm in the middle of Times Square, butt-naked." Caroline sighed.

"Baby doll, you are going to do just fine. Seven years ago you were just this little debutant off the plantation, and now you're my steel magnolia! With her very own show" Enzo grabbed her hands and persuaded Caroline.

"Okay, get out of here before you make me cry" Caroline smiled. Enzo nodded before giving her a quick hug and heading out of the backstage dressing room.

The show was just about the start and Caroline was so nervous. She was a very organized person everything needed to be prefect. She watched from the curtains patiently hoping everything would go as planned. She was so overwhelmed with the outcome of this show she didn't even see her boyfriend Klaus Mikaelson enter the room. When she heard his voice over the small tv behind stage and she instantly lite up. She turned her attention towards it.

Klaus was a New York legend. His mother was the mayor, and he spent most of his time completing tasks for her. He was the sweetest man, Caroline had ever met.

"Please tell me he has some sort of flaw?" One of her assistants muttered.

"He asked me to go to Ireland for the holidays" Caroline smiled. "Oh shit, okay let's get back to work" Caroline said as she noticed the time.

The show had been amazing, Caroline stood on stage after it had finished taking pictures with her designs and receiving so much praise for a job well done. When she saw Klaus she instantly ran over to him, jumping into his arms. She felt the warmth of his hug and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Congratulations" Klaus smiled as he gently lifted her up for a second.

"Those flowers were beautiful" Caroline grinned.

"I just want this day to be prefect" Klaus responded.

"What if the hate me?" Caroline asked

"They're critics Care, they hate themselves" Klaus smirked.

"That's easy for you to say, I wasn't born with that thick Mikaelson skin" Caroline joked.

"No you weren't and that's, that's why I love you" Klaus leaned forward and gave her a deep, lovely kiss. "Honey, I've got that meeting in the Bronx, go and enjoy. Oh and we've got the gala thing tonight with my mother and siblings" Klaus smiled before giving her one last hug.

"Right the thing with your mother… that's tonight… Okay" Caroline sighed. Both of them had been so busy lately that she was hoping for a night with just the two of them.

"I am so proud of you" Klaus grabbed her hands and smiled.

"I love you" Caroline replied.

"I love you too, I will see you later, Care bear" Klaus smiled before turning to leave.

Caroline had been dating Klaus for almost eight months now and everything had been going so well. Other than the fact that his mother was a vindictive bitch along with his sister, and didn't approve of Caroline dating there Niklaus, it had been an amazing relationship. When she met him a little over a year ago, she fell head over heels in love with him and for the first time in the six years since she had left Mystic Falls she was happy. She took a while to warm up to the idea of dating the most eligible New York Bachelor, but eventually she went out of a spectacular evening and the rest has been wonderful.

Caroline worn a simple black dressed, with a sweetheart neck line with a pair of her bright pink Louis Vuitton heels. Her hair was pulled into a half updo with her curls resting along her neck. Klaus had sent his driver to pick her up, mention something about taking her to him as he was running late.

Caroline walked into a strange building and followed the driver to where Klaus was standing. He worn a black suit with a white shirt and black tie. He looked ever-so handsome, this was the reason she went out with him in the first place. He could wear a suit unlike any guy she had ever seen and lucky for her he was almost always in a suit.

"So have you made a decision?" Klaus asked.

"About?" Caroline asked.

"Ireland"

"That's like 4 months away, silly" Caroline muttered.

"I was think 300-400 guest" Klaus continued as he led her into a darkly lit room.

"For Christmas? Niklaus are you on some sort of medication? Where are we?" Caroline asked. As she spoked the light turned on, and in front of her was an entire Tiffany's store. All different rings were everywhere, she was so confused all she could say was "Oh my good"

"Caroline Lockwood, will you marry me?" Klaus asked as he got down on one knee.

"Are you sure? We can always go back to the car and pretend this didn't happen. I mean like it's only been eight months" Caroline began to ramble. Klaus stood up and looked deeply at Caroline

"Listen, Caroline, Honey. You know I don't do anything rash. I wouldn't ask you a question that I didn't already know the answer to. So I'm risking getting rejected for a second time. Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Yes, Yes" Caroline smiled and Klaus wrapped his arms around her hip and twirled her around the room, before she looked down and kissed him.

"Pick one" Klaus said as he put her down on the ground before she began looking around the rather large tiffany's store. It took her a while but she found the ring that she had always wanted and Klaus slipped it on her finger.

 _For the first time in a long time, Caroline felt she belonged. With Klaus and in New York, there was just one problem that she would need to fix before she could happily marry with this handsome, loving man._

 **A/N: So I based it off of the Movie Sweet Home Alabama with Reese witherspoon who I basically adore. So if you've seen the movie then you know what the plot twist is that is coming up. But anyways let me know what you think! Review and follow please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Surprise!**

Caroline laughed with giddiness as she walked around the tables at Tiffany's. How did she get so lucky? Klaus was perfect and he had surprised her with this proposal. She finally decided on a ring, it had a pretty fair sized diamond in it with a sliver band. Klaus slipped the ring on her finger and smiled. She leaned in and gave him a loving kiss before the two left to get into the car. Caroline immediately snuggled up beside Klaus in the back of the black town car.

"Sorry Jimmy, I need to properly thank my fiancé" Caroline said as she pushed the button for the partition to spilt the car so they could have some time to their selves.

"I understand, Ms. Lockwood" Jimmy smiled and nodded.

"So is there actually a gala tonight?" Caroline bit her lip, hoping he'd say no.

"Yes unfortunately there is" Klaus smiled back at her. Caroline leaned in and began kissing his neck, which cause Klaus to smirk. "I thought you were tired?" He asked, she continued kissing his neck before briefly moving to his mouth. _"I've been planning this for weeks, I knew your show was going to be great and this thing tonight would be perfect. I can't wait to see the look on my mother's face."_

Caroline stopped death in her tracks, and looked carefully up at him. She had forgotten about everything, she couldn't tell anyone not until she took care of her pervious life hiccup.

" _Let's call your Mom"_ Klaus smiled down at her before reaching to grab his phone.

"No" Caroline grabbed the phone from his hands quickly. "I mean, not right this second. I mean Klaus dear, would you mind if we kept this to ourselves for a few days?" Caroline bit her tongue, she was asking him a lot but she couldn't tell him, the real reason they needed to keep this a secret.

"Care, it's going to come out sooner or later" Klaus stated.

"I know, I know it's just better if I tell her in person" Caroline tried to explain. "Liz can be a little overbearing with this kind of thing so I should tell her"

"Could I come with you?" Klaus asked with the look of deepest green eyes she had ever seen.

"It's probably better if I go alone. I haven't seen her in about seven years. I just feel like I should probably go alone." Caroline whined.

"I'm going to have to meet her eventually" Klaus said sadly.

"I know, I know and she will love you eventually" Caroline smiled, as she cupped his face. He smiled back looking at her with his eyes, she knew he had understood.

"It's because I'm a Yankee"

"Well that and a democrat" Caroline smiled before leaning in a giving him a deep kiss.

" _Okay, Mum is the word"_ Klaus said as he carefully took her left hand and turned the ring around.

* * *

"Where is he?" Esther asked as she entered the Gala hall. She wore a black pant suit and her hair was in a tight bun, she was the mayor and she always needed to look professional.

"Running late" Elijah quickly responded.

"No doubt thanks to that Lookwood girl" Esther muttered.

"Caroline Lockwood, designer, from Virginia, Klaus is smitten with her" Elijah rambled.

"Right" Esther shook her head and she continued.

"Ms. Mikaelson, how to you explain peoples negative reactions towards your street improvement plan?" A report asked.

"I suggest they take a drive to Brooklyn and see if they disappear into a black hole" Esther replied.

"Your honour, your son's relationship with Caroline Lockwood, sources say there engaged. Do you have a comment?" another reported asked.

"Trust me if my son was engaged I'd have a comment" Esther smiled as she walked away. Esther didn't hate Caroline she just didn't trust her. Southern girls had a tendency to ruin young men like her Klaus and she hated to see her son ruined when he had so much potential.

Just after Esther had commented, she saw Klaus black town car pull up. She smiled she was happy he at least had made it to the Gala, unlike a few of her other children. Rebekah, Kol and Freya hadn't made an appearance at one of her lovely events in months. They had been too busy partying and causing too much damage to her image for them to attend these charitable events.

"Klaus, Caroline. I'm so happy you're here" Elijah greeted them.

"Sorry we're late, mother. My meeting ran late" Klaus smiled and he gave his mother a kiss on the cheek.

"That shade of lipstick does nothing for you Niklaus" Esther stated with a straight face and she used her thumb in attempt to wipe it off.

"It's none of your business, mother" Klaus smiled as he reached for his cheek with his handkerchief.

"You know I hate surprises. What's going on?" Esther muttered.

"Oh Elijah, it was been sometime. Brother I'm happy to see you" Klaus turned and left his mother and Caroline.

"Caroline, it's so good it see you. Look at that dress it is beautiful, always the belle of the ball. I've heard very good things about your new line" Esther smiled as she shook Caroline's hand.

"Thank you" Caroline smiled. Caroline felt Esther's grip tighten as she saw the ring on her left hand. Caroline gulped.

"Niklaus, seems Caroline is wearing a skating rink on a very important finger" Esther stated.

"Mrs. Mikaelson we are trying to keep it-"Caroline began to say as she tried to pull her hand away. Esther carefully turned over the ring.

"Oh my god, you're engaged!" Esther yelled. Klaus smiled and Caroline's face went bright red.

" _Quiet" Caroline muttered._ Reporter swarmed them almost seconds later and Caroline smiled, she wanted to make it seem like she was all collected but in reality inside she was screaming. She needed to take care of something from her past and this being caught but the reporter's wasn't going to end well. If anyone back home saw these tabloids, it would be all over.

* * *

 _A/N: The end of another chapter, I'm already starting on chapter 3, so I may have that posted this evening. Let me know what you all think!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3: Mystic Falls_

* * *

Caroline gently nodded her head, as she sat on the plan towards Mystic Falls. She had the same dream, she'd been heaving for more than fifteen years.

" _It's pouring raining" Caroline yelled as she ran away from him._

" _Answer the question!" he said running after her._

" _Stefan Salvatore, I'm ten years old, I've got too much to live for" Caroline turned and smiled. Just then a large flash of lightening struck and they both screamed. Caroline started to run the other direction._

" _Not that way, Care" He said as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. They both ran over to the very spot the lightening had hit. Stefan quickly grabbed his camera and snapped a few pictures._

" _We should really take cover" Caroline muttered as the water ran down her face._

" _We'll be safe here" Stefan smiled from behind is camera._

" _How do you know that?" Caroline asked._

" _Lightening never strikes the same place twice" Stefan smiled before putting his camera away._

" _Why would you want to marry me anyhow" Caroline asked._

" _So I could kiss you anytime I want" Stefan smirked. He leaned in ever so lightly and gently kissed her on the lips before a flash of lightening split them apart._

Caroline woke up and was very confused, she never got to feel the ending of that dream. Stefan had been her first love, but of course Caroline now believed that you can't find your soulmate at ten years old. As she lightly shook her head and ran her fingers through her blonde curls, the plane had began to make its decent. It's decent into her old reality.

Caroline was now driving in a sports car towards Mystic falls, a place she hadn't been to in over seven years. She called Klaus' sister Rebekah. Rebekah had been her first friend in New York and was still one of her best friends.

"Bloody hell, Caroline I was your first New York friend and I have to hear about your engagement by reading about it with 12 million other people" Rebekah complained.

"Sorry Bek's she grabbed my hand, what was I supposed to do?" Caroline asked.

"I know I read all about, my mother can be a real bitch some times. So did you cry?" Rebekah asked.

"Wouldn't you?" Caroline replied.

"One man for the rest of my life, I'd ball my bloody eyes out" Rebekah joked.

"You're the one that set me up with Klaus in the first place" Caroline reminded her.

"How was I supposed to know you'd two actually hit it off" Rebekah exclaimed. "So why don't you come meet us, we're just around the corner."

"I can't I'm in Mystic Falls." Caroline stated.

"Oh my god" Rebekah muttered.

"Yup, pretty much what I'm thinking" Caroline responded.

"Well, keep me updated" Rebekah replied.

"Of course, talk to you later. Bye" Caroline hung up the phone.

As she drove into town, she noticed that it hadn't changed at all. Everything was exactly the same as she remember it from seven years ago. She thought at least they would have updated the bank by now, but nope still looked the same. It was 2015 for Christ sake, and Mystic Falls still looked like it was in the early 2000's. She shook her head and turned down and dirt road towards a familiar house. She carefully slipped off her ring and slid it into her bag. She looked at the house in front of her, the Salvatore home. It's hadn't changed much either. Same trucks, and same garden gnome in the garden that she had placed there. As she got out of her car, the loud bloodhound on the porch began to bark. Caroline didn't even take of her sunglasses and she approached the porch.

"Shh… Buddy…. Lie down!" A masculine voice yelled as the front door open and he appeared. He hadn't changed one bit from her memories. His hair was still prefect as ever and his brooding face looked confused. "How can I help you?" He asked.

"Well for starters you can get your stubborn ass down her and give me a divorce!" Caroline yelled. She watched as his face changed from a smile into a look of horror, he dropped the remote he had had in his hand. "Come on, Stefan the jokes over. Let's just get this over with. I have a plane to catch" Caroline stated.

"You're shitting me right?" Stefan asked.

"No I am not shitting you. I didn't understand that sentence until right now but let's just get this over with." Caroline was very determined. "I've got a copy for you, for me and for the lawyers. I even have idiot proof tags" She stood there showing him the papers and he didn't even flitch.

"What?" She asked after he had taken his sweet time to reply.

"You show up here after seven years, without so much of an oh hey there, Stefan remember me your wife. Or a Hi honey, how are you?" Stefan joked.

"You knew where I was, don't even pretend that you missed me" Caroline muttered.

"Oh I missed you alright, but in this range my aim is bound to improve" Stefan said as he bent down and picked up the remote and walked closer to Caroline.

"Is that a threat? I have a lawyer that costs 350 an hour. He billed me every time you sent these paper back!" Caroline yelled.

"Well, I'm glad to see you finally got the message" Stefan replied hastily. Stefan turned around and walked towards the house.

"Where are you going?" Caroline asked.

"Leaving, you should know what it's like considering you've done it."

"Please let's keep this a civilized as possible. Sign these papers so I can go home" Caroline exclaimed.

"What do you even know about home? Hell I bet your mom doesn't even know you're in town." Stefan asked.

"That's my business" Caroline retorted.

"Honey, that's the only family you've got" Stefan replied.

"Don't you honey me honey" Caroline replied.

"Get your butt back into that car, go and see her and then maybe we can talk" Stefan stated before he turned and walked into his house.

"Stefan, you dumb, stubborn redneck hick. The real reason you won't sign these papers is because it's what I want!"

"Wrong! The reason I won't is because you've become some hotshot Yankee bitch, and I'd like nothing better right now is to piss you off" Stefan smirked as he shut the door and locked it.

Caroline couldn't believe it after seven years both of them still knew how to get under each other's skin and Stefan was as stubborn as they came. This was going to take some serious patience to convince him. Caroline let out a deep sigh, debating on what to do next.

* * *

 _A/N: Chapter 3 was fun to write, Stefan is the mysterious husband! Anyways let me know what you think!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Welcome Home Caroline**

Caroline stood outside her once familiar home, Stefan hadn't changed one thing since she had left. She felt foolish about this whole ordeal but she needed his signature so she could finally move forward with her life. She sat on the porch for a few minutes waiting to see if Stefan would open the door, but she knew with all certainty that he was going to that man was just about as stubborn as they come. She felt her phone vibrate in her purse, she grabbed it and saw Klaus' name. A smile came across he face.

"I love you, I love you, I love you" Caroline spoke softy as she answered the phone.

"I know your probably busy, but I just wanted to make sure you landed safely" Klaus voice echoed.

"I did, and thank you for checking up on me" Caroline quickly replied.

" So… How did your mom react?" Klaus asked. Caroline sighed before responding.

"Well, haven't quite got there yet… My surprise visit has her well a little be surprised." Caroline lied. She knew she couldn't tell Klaus about her pervious marriage that would well ruin everything she had built in New York.

"Well, I mean it has been seven years." Klaus responded.

"Yeah, note to self remember to visit my mother" Caroline giggled.

"Well, I'll leave you to it. Remember that I love you and can't wait to start planning the perfect wedding with you" Klaus laughed.

"Love you to Niklaus. Be safe and stay out of trouble" Caroline replied.

"I should be saying that to you, if your stories about that town are true."Klaus spoke before hanging up.

"I'm a taken woman now, and I've changed a lot" Caroline muttered quietly. Caroline carefully looked at her phone and smiled. Klaus was the man for her, he was a man, not some overgrown man child that barely man it to the wedding. She found her thoughts drifting, but then it hit her. She had hid the spare key under the gnome so many keys ago, and if it was still there she could go inside and finish this divorce. She looked for the gnome and found it in some overgrown bushes, she smiled when she lifted the gnome and found the key.

She slipped around the porch and carefully unlocked the door, as she opened the door she couldn't help notice that the inside much like the outside hadn't changed. She sighed before looking around to find Stefan, as she carefully crept around her former home she saw the bathroom door closed. She went a sat on the couch in the living room waiting for him.

Shortly after, Stefan exited the bathroom and he headed straight for the fridge. He grabbed a beer and began to drink it. Seeing his wife, seeing Caroline after all these years was shocking. He missed he but she had left him, and he understood her reasons but he still couldn't sign those papers. As he went to sit in the living room, he noticed the front door was open and Caroline was sitting on the couch.

"You can't really lock someone out when they know where the spare key is" Caroline laughed.

"Maybe if they had told the other person where it was, they could have found a better hiding spot" Stefan retorted.

"Just sign the damn papers, and I'll leave you alone" Caroline yelled.

"No, I don't have to do anything" Stefan smiled as he sat down on the couch.

"Please, Stefan lets just end this"Caroline pleaded as she handed the papers to him.

"End this marriage, honey I'm just getting started. Besides having a wife is so much fun." Stefan smiled.

" I'm not your wife Stefan, I'm just the first girl to climb into the back seat of your car" Caroline replied as she rummaged in her bag for a pen.

"You didn't complain then" he muttered

"I didn't know what a real relationship was" Caroline replied.

"What's his name?" Stefan stood there and bit her lip. After seven years he could still read her like an open book. She stood there silently. "Care, after seven years you come back and you think hmmm… Maybe my husband will give me that divorce I've wanted… There has to be a reason, and I'm betting it's a guy." Stefan stood up, and so did Caroline they stood inches away from each other, she could feel his breathe on her face. There eyes connected for a split second and Caroline found herself thinking back the that raining night many years ago. She shook her head lightly before stepping back. "I heard you on the phone, he doesn't know does he?" Stefan asked.

"Stefan, this guy is a man, that treats me like princess and cares about me" Caroline muttered.

"Well he can wait a few more days." Stefan replied as he saw a sheriffs vehicle turning into his driveway. Caroline turned and saw the car.

"You called my mother?!" Caroline yelled.

"Not exactly" Stefan replied. As he went over to the door "Deputy Donavan" Stefan smiled as Matt Donavan greeted him at the door. Matt had been one of Stefan's groomsmen at there wedding, and he knew Caroline very well, once upon a time.

"What seems to be the problem, Stefan?" Matt asked as he stepped into the home.

"I'm the problem, Matt" Caroline stated.

"Caroline Forbes, it's been ages!" Matt smiled as he ran over to her and gave her a hug. Caroline sent a playful look to Stefan. Matt began to ask her many questions.

"Ahem" Stefan said after a few moments.

"Right, Caroline you can't just go breaking into people's home" Matt said.

"Well Matt, if you could tell Stefan here to sign these divorce papers. I'd happily leave." Caroline explained.

"Stef, I thought you took care of this?" Matt asked.

"I thought I did!" Stefan replied.

"So you two are still married?" Matt asked.

"Yep" Caroline quickly replied.

"This isn't a break and enter, this is just a domestic dispute, sounds like you two have a lot of talking to do" Matt answered as he turned to leave. Caroline smiled and waved.

"Do you know you sunk your mom's tractor in the Hewitt pond?" Stefan asked

" stop!" Caroline yelled, sending Stefan a glare. Matt carefully turned around and glared at Stefan.

" It was little miss sunshine over there" Stefan smiled innocently and pointed at Caroline. Matt frown.

"That was like eight years ago!" Caroline replied. Matt shook his head and pointed to his truck, Caroline nodded and followed him, scowling at Stefan.

"At least now your mom will know your in town!" Stefan called out behind her.

Caroline sat quietly in the sheriffs office, being the sheriffs daughter did have its perks. But honestly she'd rather be anywhere else. She watch as he mother entered the building a walked directly over to her office.

"Liz it's nice to see you" Caroline smiled as her mother entered the room.

" Caroline" her mother muttered before sitting down at her desk.

"Old habits die hard?" Caroline replied. Liz sighed before making eye contact with Caroline. Just like everything in this town her mother had also not changed one bit.

" of course the first thing you do is stop at Stefan's" Liz stated.

"He and I had some unfinished business." Caroline replied, with a smile.

" Seven years and your first stop is to your ex-husbands?"

"Technically not ex-husband" Caroline replied. Liz looked around, her office was like a fish bowl, and this would be conversation to have at home.

"Let's take you home, where we can discuss this not in front of my entire department" Liz said standing up quickly. Caroline nodded.

 _A/N: I know it's not a very long chapter but it does have some steroline and klaroline. I actually haven't decided on who I'd rather want so let me know if you all have preference and I'll take it into consideration_!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Joint-Checking**

Caroline sat in her childhood bedroom, literally her mother had not changed a single item in the entire house over the past seven years. Her cheerleading uniform still hung on the door, like she was going to wear it tomorrow, the smell of her teenage rebellion of empty alcohol bottles laid under her bed and pictures of her and Stefan covered the room. She stood up and walked over to the pictures, she was so happy then, she tried to remember exactly what had gone wrong with her and Stefan. As she remembered she began to rip the phones off her wall and throw the old photographs into the waste paper basket. Tears ran down her face and she clutched her stomach, she had been pregnant just over seven years ago and had lost the baby only two months before she had moved to New York.

It was a heart breaking moment for her, and Stefan at the time hadn't been a strong support system for her, so that's why she left. She wasn't happy, he had thrown himself into work and she had been expected to act like nothing had happen because Stefan didn't want to talk about it. It still caused her so much anger, so getting the divorce and moving past this horrible event was all she had wanted for a long time. But of course Stefan's stubborn nature hadn't allowed her to.

"Honey are you okay?" Liz knocked on the door and saw Caroline crying with the wall almost bare.

"No, I just want this divorce. I just want to be happy. Niklaus makes me happy" Caroline muttered.

"Ah, there's another guy?" Liz asked.

"Yes, he is perfect. His proposal, his everything is just so perfect. And me I'm married to another man" Caroline flopped down on her bed.

"I can see the dilemma" Liz replied.

"If Stefan won't sign these papers, I'm just going to make him realize that his single bachelor lifestyle is about to change." Caroline muttered, as she wiped her tears with an evil grin.

"How are you going to do that?"

"I'm going to be the wife he never wished he had" Caroline spoke as an evilish grin came across her face.

The next day, Caroline needed to get some much needed cash out of the bank to make Stefan a meal he would never forget. She was walking down the street when she heard someone calling her out from their car.

"Hey pretty lady, want to take a ride with me?" The voice called out, it seemed fimilar to her but still it was a strange thing, so being the Caroline that she is she began to speak before turning and witnessing who was cat calling her.

"Listen here-"she spoke as she laid her eyes on Tyler Lockwood. They had been good childhood friends, and she smiled as he got out of his truck and hugged her.

"Now they said New York can change a girl, but you look incredible as always" he smiled.

"Tyler, it's been years!"

"What is your meaning of a visit, to mystic falls of all places?"

"Well, Stefan is being his stubborn self."

"You two still have that knot tied" Tyler laughed.

"Unfortunately, yes" Caroline responded.

"Well, if your free this evening the whole gang will be at the grill!" Tyler smiled.

"Maybe" Caroline laughed before walking away towards the bank, she tried to enter her banking information into the ATM and she was unsuccessful, which meant she had to go talk to the teller. As she walked up to the teller, she noticed it was Bonnie Bennett.

"Caroline Forbes?" Bonnie asked.

"Yes, how are you Bonnie?" Caroline smiled.

"I'm good, got married to Matt a few years back" Bonnie smiled.

"That's so great!" Caroline responded.

"How can I help you today?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, I wasn't able to take money out from my account in New York?"Caroline explained.

"That would be because the big boss man here at the Bank, Damon made the bank 'independent'" Bonnie answered.

"This is crazy, of course only in mystic falls" Caroline laughed.

"But you could make a withdrawal from your joint-checking with Stefan, Matt told me about the looming marriage"

"Alright, I'd like to make a withdrawal" Caroline smiled as she realized this maybe her one chance to get Stefan to sign the papers. She ran a few errands before heading back over to Stefan's house and making herself at home.

Stefan pulled into his driveway after another long day, as he walked up the steps to his house he heard the soft hum of music and the smell of a burning roast. He confusedly walked into his home, to see everything had changed. New furniture with Ruffles and a girly feel.

"Caroline, what did you do?" Stefan yelled

"Our home needed some much needed redecorating" Caroline appeared from the kitchen smiling. Stefan headed straight for the fridge.

"What is this?" Stefan asked

"Light beer, you've got a figure to watch, there honey" Caroline smiled as she looked down at his waist. He looked down and shook his head.

"You can spent all you money, I don't care" Stefan said as he opened the beer.

"But honey, you said to think of it as our money" Caroline smiled. Stefan looked at her aimlessly. "The words, joint checking flashing into your mind right about now"

"You spent my money!" Stefan yelled.

"Yes, and I'll pay you back every penny when you sign these papers" Caroline smiled grabbing the papers.

"You can't spend my money!"

"What were you doing with fifteen grand anyways" Caroline muttered.

"That's none of your business, now if you'll excuse me I have a date this evening" Stefan said before storming out of the house. Caroline stood in the empty house and smiled she had gotten under his skin, only a few more things to do before he would crack and she would be done with this marriage. Since she really hadn't been married to him in over seven years.

A/N: let me know what you think!


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